Spring Valley Lake Vets Club Dedicates Veterans’ Monument

(Victor Valley)– “Land of the free because of the brave.” That’s the simple message inscribed on a new monument dedicated Friday by the Spring Valley Lake Veterans Club. Veterans Club founder and monument proponent Robert Read said he hopes the monument will bring veterans together in service to others. “I’m really trying to unite all the veterans in the community, under one banner, to serve this community and other veterans,” said Read. “It’s hard to do without more veterans volunteering. They don’t have to be members of the club. Just come and let’s meet and decide what we can do to help the guys who are stuck in their homes.”

The monument is on Country Club property near the corner of Spring Valley Parkway and Country Club Drive. Jim Carr, chair of the country club board, partnered to make the project happen. Read, who served in the 101 Airborne Division in Vietnam, said he was deeply moved by the 1998 film “Saving Private Ryan.” “It just dawned me. That’s our heritage. I wasn’t there (in WWII) but I remember it because I was a kid. So when I saw that movie, I said, I’ve got to do more things in honor of veterans.” Read led the drive to place American and military service flags along Spring Valley Parkway on holidays, the Blue Star program and the Spring Valley Lake Veterans Club. He was also selected as Assemblyman Jay Obernolte’s Veteran of the Year. Memorial pavers will be added to the monument soon. For information, email chadebj@yahoo.com.